Sensitization on Family Planning among

community women

IMPACT ANALYSIS OF FAMILY

PLANNING AND REPRODUCTIVE

HEALTH WORKSHOP

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CONTENT

1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

2. BACKGROUND OF THE ORGANISATIONS

3. INTRODUCTION

4. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

5. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

5.1. SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

5.2. PARTICIPANTS AND SAMPLE SIZE

5.3. PROCEDURE OF DATA COLLECTION

5.4. TOOLS AND MEASURES

6. DATA ANALYSIS

7. CASE STUDIES

8. RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

9. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

10. REFERENCES

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The findings of the project are based on the training session conducted in all the

4 locations of Aakarshan centres of Spark Minda on Family Planning &

Reproductive Health by Pathfinders expert trainers.

I, Eti Sharma student of MS University, Vadodara have taken efforts in this

project. However, it would not have been possible without the kind support and

help of many individuals. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all of them.

I am highly indebted to Mr. Praveen Karn ( CSR Head- Spark Minda- Ashok

Minda group ) and Ms. Pallavi Hatwal (Spark Minda ) for their guidance and

constant supervision as well as for providing necessary information regarding the

Family Planning and Reproduction Health programme & Survey and also for

their support in completing the project.

I would like to express my special gratitude and thanks to employees and

coordinators of Aakarshan Centre – Spark Minda Foundation of the 4 centers

namely Pune, Chennai, Pantnagar, and Noida, for giving me such attention &

time and helping me connect with the people.

And lastly, my thanks and appreciations go to my Alma Mater, Maharaja

Sayajirao University and all my teachers for believing in me and encouraging me

to take up this project.

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BACKGROUND OF THE ORGANISATIONS

Spark Minda, Ashok Minda Group (The Group)

The Group has a major presence in Global Automotive Industry and it is one of the leading

manufacturers of Automotive Components for the OEMs with Headquarters in India. The US $533

Million Group, with 16000 employees was founded in 1958 by Late Shri S.L. Minda. The Group

caters to the leading two and four wheeler vehicle manufacturers in India & overseas markets

including Europe, CIS & ASEAN countries with 32 manufacturing plants. All Group manufacturing

facilities are ISO/TS-16949 & ISO–14001 certified. The Group manufactures products in three

verticals: Safety, Security & Restraint Systems, Driver Information& Telematics Systems, and Interior

System. It also has significant presence in the Aftermarket. It caters to the needs of all Major Car,

Motorcycle, Commercial Vehicles, Tractor and Off-road vehicle manufacturers in India and

overseas. The Group also has several JVs with leading companies from Germany, Poland, Czech

Republic, Mexico, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Uzbekistan and Japan.

SPARK MINDA FOUNDATION (SMF)

Spark Minda, Ashok Minda Group has been involved in Community Development initiatives

since decades. In continuation to the legacy of a responsible corporate citizenship, the CSR

activities being undertaken at the Group are derived from the triple bottom line model of

People, Planet and Profit. The Community Development projects were undertaken by various

units in and around their periphery. Later it was understood that a common entity for all the

Group Companies needs to be incorporated. Accordingly, Spark Minda Foundation (The

Foundation) was incorporated under Section 8 of Companies Act and is the CSR wing for The

Group Companies to undertake CSR activities. They work to build a sustainable society through

improving the quality of life, protecting the planet through affirmative actions and establish

integrated and inclusive growth of people and environment. The main aim of the Foundation is

to work for community development by catering education, women empowerment, facilitation

of healthcare, upliftment of people with disability and to sustain the environment.

Under Spark Minda Foundation, the major community development projects are operational at

Gautam Buddha Nagar of Greater Noida in U.P, Pillaipakkam district of Tamil Nadu and

suburban areas of Uttarakhand and Rajgurunagar district of Maharastra. These projects are

benefitting children, youth and women at large through its quality delivery and sustenance.

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Following are the interventions areas in which the foundation operates:

1. Under-privileged section of society

2. Youth

3. Environment and natural resources

4. Persons with disabilities

PATHFINDER INTERNATIONAL INDIA

Pathfinder International India is a subsidiary of Pathfinder International, a global nonprofit

organization headquartered in Boston, United States and operating in India since 1999 as a key

partner of the Government of India and various state governments in addressing health issues

around family planning, maternal health and adolescent health. Pathfinder International’s

mission is to champion sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide, mobilizing

communities most in need to break through barriers and forge their own path to a healthier

future. Pathfinder envisions a world where everyone has access to contraception, where there

are zero new HIV infections, where no woman dies from preventable pregnancy-related

complications, and where everyone leads a healthy sexual and reproductive life.

They champion sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide, mobilizing communities

most in need to break through barriers and forge their own path to a healthier future.

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INTRODUCTION

People all over the world should have access and rights to sexual and reproductive health

services. Pathfinder is driven by the conviction that all people, regardless of where they live,

have the right to decide whether and when to have children, to exist free from fear and stigma,

and to lead the lives they choose. As government aid is not provided minimally, it is increasingly

seen to be insufficient in terms of budget allocations and innovative approaches that can

quickly address family planning issues. Corporate participation through various approaches

including CSR and workplace interventions can have great impact on family planning

interventions. Awareness regarding family planning is low in most of parts of India. Women are

unable to access family planning services due to lack of knowledge and other socio economic

barriers. Lack of awareness on family planning leads to poorly spaced birth of children,

malnourished children and mothers. Frequent child bearing puts stress on the mother and the

family and leads to poor health outcomes.

To generate demand and improve awareness levels of women in the community, around the

vocational training centers of Spark Minda Foundation; Pathfinder’s expert trainer conducted

sensitization workshops for women in the community on Family Planning in the villages of states

of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu. In the one day workshop, the

women were oriented on each family planning method; its usage, myths, misconceptions and

eligibility criteria. An impact assessment test was conducted to assess the knowledge level of

women on family planning, before and after the training. Through these workshops the

pathfinder trainers helped the women to realize the need of Healthy Timing and Spacing of

Pregnancy (HTSP).

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Objective: To assess the impact of Family Planning and Reproductive health sensitization

session.

Sampling technique and criteria:

The sample was selected using Purposive sampling technique. The sample was selected keeping

in mind that trainees are above 18 years, who attended the menstrual hygiene, newly-wed

couples, women having 1 to 3 children, and mothers who have not gone under sterilization.

Sample size of training:

SURVEY SAMPLE SIZE

The chart shows that the survey was conducted on 66% trainees which mean 295 women out of

the 447 women.

66%

34%

Participants of the survey

Surveyed Not surveyed

Aakarshan

centers N=654

n=447

(Females

)

n=207

(Males)

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Procedure of data collection:

The data was collected from 4 different villages of the country by 2 methods: Direct personal

interview and Telephonic interview. The participants were contacted by the workers of

Aakarshan centers in each of the village and the researcher. Every woman was individually

interviewed. The workers and the researcher first contacted a few people living near the centers

and remaining participants were sampled through telephone. Prior to the interview, the

participants were explained the purpose of the research, its output and then their oral consents

were obtained. The detailed interview was conducted either in participants’ house or in the

Aakarshan Centers, or any other place convenient to both the participant and the researcher

with no outside interruption, focusing on the impact of the training program they attended.

Each participant took between 5-10 minutes answering the questions.

21.31%

20.00%

57.14%

31.11%

78.66%

80.00%

42.85%

68.88%

Chennai

Greater Noida

Pantnagar

Pune

Unmarried Married

State-wise participants

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Tools and measures:

The tool used for the survey was questionnaire constructed by the Pathfinder expert trainers for

the present study. It is a semi-structured interview schedule which had certain open-ended

questions and some close-ended questions to get a detailed account of women’s perspective

of family planning after the training.

DATA ANALYSIS

UNMARRIED WOMEN

1. LEARNINGS FROM THE SENSITIZATION SESSION

The above chart depicts that maximum number of trainees learnt something from the

training which are 92 trainees from the 97 girls, and also found the training useful. All the

trainees from Chennai learnt something or the other from the workshop.

2. ADOPTION OF FAMILY PLANNING METHODS AFTER MARRIAGE

96%

4%

Usefulness of workshop

YES NO

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The above figure shows that 80 girls will surely use the methods even after the marriage, 16

people have not planned anything, and only 1 person will not be using any family planning

method out of the 97trainees.

3. KNOWLEADGE SHARING WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY

The above graph shows that 92 girls found the information relevant to share it with family

members and close friends, and 5 girls did not disseminate it with others.

4. MORE CLARIFICATION ON FAMILY PLANNING

82%

1%

17%

USE AFTER MARRIAGE

YES NO CANNOT SAY

95%

5%

SHARING THE INFORMATION

YES NO

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The above figure shows that 80 trainees want to have more clarification on the family planning

and reproductive health.

5. WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FUTURE

The above figure suggests that all the trainees will participate again in these types of

workshops. And they found the information knowledgeable and informative which they can

use in their lives.

6. PREFERENCE OF INDIVIDUAL COUNSELLING OR GROUP WORLSHOPS IN THE

FUTURE

82%

18%

REQUIREMENT OF MORE KNOWLEADGEYES NO

100%

0%

PARTICIPATION IN THE FUTURE

YES NO

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The above figure shows that maximum number of girls i.e., 61 trainees would be comfortable in

the group setting, 25 girls would be comfortable in individual workshops/counseling and 11

trainees would be fine with both of the methods.

26%

63%

11%

PREFERENCE OF WORKSHOP

INDIVIDUAL GROUP BOTH

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MARRIED WOMEN

1. USAGE OF FAMILY PLANNING METHODS BEFORE THE TRAINING

The above chart shows that 55% trainees, which mean 110 women, were using any family

planning method before the sensitization session and 89 women were not using anything.

2. TYPE OF USERS

Using55%

Not using 45%

11.23%

24.71%

First time users Switched users

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The above graph shows that out of the total trainees, 10 women started using some method

after the training and 22 women has switched from the method they were using before to a

new method introduced in the workshop.

3. Source of Family Planning Services

From the above chart it is analyzed that the maximum number of women availed the method

from any Government clinic, other women availed the method from either Pharmacy or any

general store. Only 10 women took the service from private clinics.

4. Feedback from the training

64%5%

18%

13%

SOURCES

Government clinic Private clinic Pharmacy General store

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The above chart shows that 191 women out of 199 married women found the training useful.

Majority of the women will try to inculcate the practices in their day to day life which are

suggested in the workshop.

5. More clarification

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

100.00%

Useful Not useful

Column1 95.97% 4.02%

Axi

s Ti

tle

52.76%

47.23%

Series 1

YES NO

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From the above chart it is clear that slightly more than half of the women would love to gain

more information and knowledge about the topic whereas according to other half women,

the information given is sufficient.

6. Preferences for future workshops

The above chart suggests that more than half of the trainees prefer the group workshops or

sessions than the private counseling. Majority of women thinks that they are more comfortable to

communicate in the group setting and more points of view are taken.

Private workshop Group workshop Both

30.65%

65.82%

3.51%

Series 1

Series 1

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CASE STUDIES

This is Thulasi, a 25 year’s old married woman

from vengadu village, Tamil Nadu. She has been

married for 8 years and has 2 children. All the

people in her village including her had no

knowledge or awareness about the Family

planning and Reproductive health. After the

workshop, she used one of the family planning

method introduced in the workshop, called

Ligation and now living a happy life, avoiding

unwanted pregnancies and the complications

coming along with it.

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ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Ethical considerations were taken care of before conducting the study. The following

points explain this further:

• Participation was voluntary.

• Assurance of confidentiality was given.

• All communications will be done with full honesty and transparency.

• Participants had the right not to answer any question if they did not want to.

• Privacy at the time of data collection was taken care of.

FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Organizing of a 1 week workshop for sensitization of family planning among community

women.

2. The sensitization of family planning and Reproductive health should be provided to the

adolescents as well.

3. Surveys for the impact assessment should be carried out along with the medical camps

with lady doctors and Pathfinder expert trainers in the Aakarshan Centers.